Once the 12th-overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, Lynch was traded to the Seahawks in October of 2010 after an up and down relationship with the Buffalo Bills and an 0-4 start to the season for Buffalo. From inconsistent play to criticizing the city, Lynch and the Bills just never seemed like a fit.

Everything changed after the trade as the running back went from a guy whose heart and drive were regularly questioned to a guy who was regularly recognized as one of the top backs in football. While Russell Wilson will always be the face of Seattle’s turnaround, those close to the team understand that Lynch was the catalyst to turning around the offense.

Wilson was able to grow into the quarterback he is today because Lynch was “Beast Mode,” and the Seahawks offensive game plan. While the young Seattle quarterback’s job was basically not to lose games, Lynch’s job was to win them.

Seattle won games, and a lot of them thanks to Lynch. As good as their defense was and as great of a leader as Wilson is, you likely won’t find someone in Seattle who believes they ever win a Super Bowl if not for Lynch.

Rookie back Thomas Rawls had a very impressive season as he often started in place of Lynch who was banged up for much of the 2015 season, but the team will need to add depth at the position with Beast Mode retiring.

Wilson has become a much more dynamic quarterback, so this transition will aid in the process of this becoming a more open offense where the passing attack and rushing attack can complement each other.

LeSean McCoy reportedly gets in fight with off-duty cops:

Speaking of guys who may not exactly be a great fit in the Buffalo community, LeSean McCoy finds himself back in the news after he and former San Diego Chargers’ running back Curtis Brinkley allegedly got into an altercation with off-duty police officers in Philadelphia early Sunday morning.

A Philadelphia Police Department news report alleges four suspects assaulted off-duty police officers, punching, kicking, and stomping on the head of one man. Police say two of the officers suffered broken ribs, while one man who transported himself to the hospital was treated for a laceration to his eye, broken nose and sprained thumb on top of broken ribs.

Video surveillance from outside the night club where the incident took place shows both parties being ejected from the club, but there is no video of the incident itself as the only video inside the club was not functional.

“We are aware of the reports regarding LeSean McCoy and in the process of gathering more information. We will not provide any further comment at this time.”

While the report states that a member of McCoy’s party tried to steal a bottle of champagne from the officers that night, there’s no proof of what actually caused the altercation. The moral of the story is if you can’t act like a grown up and find yourself in a fight in public, at least fight fair and don’t stomp on people’s heads.

If the assault that happened was anything like it was reported in the police report, McCoy is very lucky that the officers involved were not more severely hurt. This incident could cost him games, but if one of those officers had been killed or badly injured as a result of having his head stomped on, whether or not he’d be playing for the Bills or anyone else this season would be the least of his concerns.

Riley Cooper cut by the Eagles:

Perhaps it was his skill set, or perhaps new Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson doesn’t like guys who throw racial slurs around, but wide receiver Riley Cooper has been released from the team after six seasons.

The now former Eagles receiver had an up and down run on the field, as he started 44 games for Philadelphia over the last three seasons after getting just 10 starts over the first three years of his career.

After catching just 46 balls over the first three years of his career, Cooper had 47 catches in 2013, and he followed it up with 55 receptions in 2014. This year the former Florida Gator receiver started 13 games, but only managed to pull in 21 catches with two touchdowns.

Cooper is of course well known for yelling racial slurs at a black security guard at a Kenny Chesney concert, and it’s possible Pederson took a stand on the player for that reason. Perhaps the new Eagles coach feels having a player like Cooper isn’t good for his locker room. We don’t know because the Eagles offered no explanation for cutting Cooper, but if it did play into his release, you can’t blame Pederson for taking a stand.

Don’t feel too bad for Cooper. Don’t forget the San Francisco 49ers were foolish enough to hire Chip Kelly as their new head coach, and he hasn’t even begun screwing things up over there. Don’t be surprised if the pair are reunited in the bay as Kelly begins to reshape the 49ers roster.

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About Pat Donovan

Pat Donovan has covered the NFL for almost a decade and is a host and producer for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers radio flagship 620WDAE/95.3FM. Pat covers the NFC South and NFC East for Football Insiders. Follow him on Twitter, @PatDonovanNFL.